Last night shortly before going to bed, I decided to change the sheets. As I pulled the fitted one taut, and spread the flat one over it, I anticipated slipping between them, feeling their crispness --- the indicator of a clean, freshly made bed. I love sleeping on sheets the first night they’re put on, don’t you? I thought about what a tremendous blessing it is to have clean sheets on a comfy bed.
While I was having this blessing recognition moment, music was playing in the background. For the last hour or so I had been listening to the soundtrack from the movie, “The Sound of Music,” --- another blessing. I’m not sure my husband categorized it as such. He had on headphones and was absorbed in playing a game on his ipad. He had retired to his recliner after we came in from outside. We had been sitting together out by our Koi pond. It’s pretty much a nightly routine for us, on the evenings when the weather permits. We enjoy feeding the fish and watching them come up to eat, while we drink in the beauty of our garden that we have created together --- our private, little Eden. We have spent countless hours on this “hobby,” --- picking out plants based on the amount of sun required, water needs, maturity size etc. We have planted and watered and weeded, and now after many years, we are enjoying the fruits (flowers) of our labor.
As I pulled the last of the wrinkles out of the comforter, I was remembering the time we had spent at the water garden, earlier in the evening, and what a wonderful blessing it had been. I have been so engrossed in telling about the beauty around us that I forgot to mention the splendor above us. There was a dual blessing going on in the heavens. In the west the sun was setting. It was hidden by a wall of clouds, but its presence painted the clouds pink and made them glow against the backdrop of a turquoise sky. In the east, a clear, full moon was rising. The sight of both scenes simultaneously was spectacular.
While God’s green earth was flowering at my feet, and His sky was displaying His magnificent handiwork, I was enjoying yet another blessing ---- a once stray cat. About six weeks ago this Tomcat, now affectionately known as Buddy, showed up on my doorstep. Tonight he was hardly recognizable as the same creature. Though his body is still long and lean, he is filled out and healthy looking. As I watched him, I was particularly captivated by the graceful movements of his whip like tail. I’ll have to admit he can be a bit of a nuisance sometimes, but all things considered, he definitely fits into the blessing category.
I squeezed our plump pillows into the cases and thought about other blessings I had experienced throughout the day. I had homemade chicken potpie for lunch. I had made it the night before for dinner…yum! I took a shower this afternoon in our main bathroom, instead of the master bath, due to the fact that the tub in the master bath is draining slower and slower. That part is not the blessing, this is: The spray from the showerhead in the main bath was different somehow --- a mist, yet forceful enough to be invigorating. How many people in the world would love to have indoor plumbing and the luxury of a refreshing shower anytime they wanted one (however the spray came out)?
I was also showered with the blessing of people today. There were phone calls, texts, and two actual visits, from various family members and friends. Besides these blessings of the human kind, I began the day with my Heavenly Father --- enjoying His presence through the beauty of nature, through His written Word, and through prayer.
My husband beat me to the clean sheets, but I went in to tell him good night. Earlier in the evening, as we had sat out at the water garden enjoying an unseasonably cool breeze (another blessing), we were reminded that fall is on its way. It has been our experience that dreaded winter follows fall. We had talked about the unbelievable fact that winter is actually some people’s (my dear sister’s for one) favorite season! While I love Christmas, hot cocoa, and snow, I can’t imagine winter being at the top of my list of seasons. I am convinced that its main purpose is to help us appreciate spring, even more, when it finally arrives.
While my husband was in zoning-out mode, I lay down beside him and presented him with this thought: “You know, I think headaches are sort of like winter.” He managed to politely get out one word --- “How?” He had given me enough leeway to proceed. “They stimulate appreciation. Just like the barrenness of winter makes me appreciate spring, the pain of headaches causes me to appreciate being pain free.” Well, I didn’t actually say it quite that eloquently, but he got the picture. It may have been a little fuzzy, in his half-asleep condition, but he was kind enough to let me develop (pun intended) the idea.
Seeing that I’m not an all-wise, all-knowing God, I don’t prefer that it’s this way, but it seems to be a fact; Suffering has the potential to make us keenly aware of the everyday blessings in life that we might otherwise take for granted. When the pain is gone from a headache that has lingered for days, I am so happy just to be pain-free. I am thrilled to be able to enjoy ordinary life again. I am trying to cultivate that appreciation without headaches having to make me aware of the “small” blessings.
God give me the wisdom of the author of Proverbs thirty to appreciate the beauty and mystery of life all around me. He penned these words:
“There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Four which I do not understand: The way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the middle of the sea, and the way of a man with a maid.”
I issue a challenge that is sure to bring added joy into your life. Daily add at least one “wonderful thing” to this list.
While I was having this blessing recognition moment, music was playing in the background. For the last hour or so I had been listening to the soundtrack from the movie, “The Sound of Music,” --- another blessing. I’m not sure my husband categorized it as such. He had on headphones and was absorbed in playing a game on his ipad. He had retired to his recliner after we came in from outside. We had been sitting together out by our Koi pond. It’s pretty much a nightly routine for us, on the evenings when the weather permits. We enjoy feeding the fish and watching them come up to eat, while we drink in the beauty of our garden that we have created together --- our private, little Eden. We have spent countless hours on this “hobby,” --- picking out plants based on the amount of sun required, water needs, maturity size etc. We have planted and watered and weeded, and now after many years, we are enjoying the fruits (flowers) of our labor.
As I pulled the last of the wrinkles out of the comforter, I was remembering the time we had spent at the water garden, earlier in the evening, and what a wonderful blessing it had been. I have been so engrossed in telling about the beauty around us that I forgot to mention the splendor above us. There was a dual blessing going on in the heavens. In the west the sun was setting. It was hidden by a wall of clouds, but its presence painted the clouds pink and made them glow against the backdrop of a turquoise sky. In the east, a clear, full moon was rising. The sight of both scenes simultaneously was spectacular.
While God’s green earth was flowering at my feet, and His sky was displaying His magnificent handiwork, I was enjoying yet another blessing ---- a once stray cat. About six weeks ago this Tomcat, now affectionately known as Buddy, showed up on my doorstep. Tonight he was hardly recognizable as the same creature. Though his body is still long and lean, he is filled out and healthy looking. As I watched him, I was particularly captivated by the graceful movements of his whip like tail. I’ll have to admit he can be a bit of a nuisance sometimes, but all things considered, he definitely fits into the blessing category.
I squeezed our plump pillows into the cases and thought about other blessings I had experienced throughout the day. I had homemade chicken potpie for lunch. I had made it the night before for dinner…yum! I took a shower this afternoon in our main bathroom, instead of the master bath, due to the fact that the tub in the master bath is draining slower and slower. That part is not the blessing, this is: The spray from the showerhead in the main bath was different somehow --- a mist, yet forceful enough to be invigorating. How many people in the world would love to have indoor plumbing and the luxury of a refreshing shower anytime they wanted one (however the spray came out)?
I was also showered with the blessing of people today. There were phone calls, texts, and two actual visits, from various family members and friends. Besides these blessings of the human kind, I began the day with my Heavenly Father --- enjoying His presence through the beauty of nature, through His written Word, and through prayer.
My husband beat me to the clean sheets, but I went in to tell him good night. Earlier in the evening, as we had sat out at the water garden enjoying an unseasonably cool breeze (another blessing), we were reminded that fall is on its way. It has been our experience that dreaded winter follows fall. We had talked about the unbelievable fact that winter is actually some people’s (my dear sister’s for one) favorite season! While I love Christmas, hot cocoa, and snow, I can’t imagine winter being at the top of my list of seasons. I am convinced that its main purpose is to help us appreciate spring, even more, when it finally arrives.
While my husband was in zoning-out mode, I lay down beside him and presented him with this thought: “You know, I think headaches are sort of like winter.” He managed to politely get out one word --- “How?” He had given me enough leeway to proceed. “They stimulate appreciation. Just like the barrenness of winter makes me appreciate spring, the pain of headaches causes me to appreciate being pain free.” Well, I didn’t actually say it quite that eloquently, but he got the picture. It may have been a little fuzzy, in his half-asleep condition, but he was kind enough to let me develop (pun intended) the idea.
Seeing that I’m not an all-wise, all-knowing God, I don’t prefer that it’s this way, but it seems to be a fact; Suffering has the potential to make us keenly aware of the everyday blessings in life that we might otherwise take for granted. When the pain is gone from a headache that has lingered for days, I am so happy just to be pain-free. I am thrilled to be able to enjoy ordinary life again. I am trying to cultivate that appreciation without headaches having to make me aware of the “small” blessings.
God give me the wisdom of the author of Proverbs thirty to appreciate the beauty and mystery of life all around me. He penned these words:
“There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Four which I do not understand: The way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the middle of the sea, and the way of a man with a maid.”
I issue a challenge that is sure to bring added joy into your life. Daily add at least one “wonderful thing” to this list.
